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Honda weak brakes

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pdplot

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Our '02 Honda V6 has developed a brake problem. It is almost like it has no power brakes. The pedal is firm and does not pump up but the effort is high. When I get back into the Subaru, I almost go through the windshield. I'll check out the power brake booster tomorrow if its not raining, but other than that, what else could it be before I call the shop.
 
If it is not the booster itself it could be the vacuum supply to it (hoses, check valve, etc.)
 
Booster seems to be ok. Hose in place with no obvious tears and when I start the car with my foot on the pedal, it goes down about an inch which seems to be normal according to what I read online. Pedal does not pump up so no air in lines. Perhaps the linings are getting glazed?
 
I know you said the servo is OK but what are you basing that on?

Servos are usually connected to the intake manifold by a heavy, large bore vacuum hose. The systems typically include a check valve so that the vacuum is maintained in the servo. The check valve can be at the servo, in the hose, or at the manifold. (Sorry, I don't know where Honda puts their's). If the check valve has failed you won't have any power assist when stopping and the servo itself will look fine.

Front brakes do the lion's share of the work. Check your front rotors and pads for anything obviously wrong. Glazed brakes typically develop over time as opposed to the quick change in pedal observed with servo failure.
 
I think Doug has a good point. Have you tried firing it up with the hose detached from the booster and seeing what kind of brake pedal you get that way? It's a simple test but if your booster is good you should have a considerably different pedal with the booster unhooked. P.S. don't drive it around like that just check it in your driveway.
 
... and don't forget to plug the hose or hole in the intake manifold. Leaving it open without a plug creates a huge vacuum leak.
 
If the pedal goes down when you start the car while pushing on the pedal, doesn't that mean that the booster is working properly? That's what happens with the Subaru - the pedal goes 3/4 way to the floor and softens. The Honda pedal only goes down about an inch and softens. The Subaru brakes are the best I've ever used.
 
No diagnosis yet. I'll have to take it into the shop and have my guy check out the system. But there are other issues. The battery shows 12.50 volts at rest which means it's near the end of its life, the front bumper needs refinishing, the tires need replacement, the auto transmission is getting a bit dodgy starting off and sometimes racing before shifting into a higher gear and the finish needs a good compounding and polishing. On the plus side, the V6 engine is strong, burns no oil and still returns about 25 mpg. Probably the best engine in any car I ever had - and that's a lot of cars. So it comes down to this. Do I sink any more $$ into this or move on. This is wife's car. Probably wind up with something coming off lease. Perhaps another Accord with backup camera. Good safety feature. Some of the other crap like lane keeping assist is just another thing to go wrong and not needed. We're not SUV fans.
 
Sorry there is no resolution yet but I completely understand. We recently sold our 4-cylinder Accord when it rapidly developed a litany of things needing attention... some of them expensive. Sometimes it is just time to move on.
 
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